A 1980 maze arcade game by Namco in which players guide a yellow circle through a maze, eating dots while avoiding four colored ghosts.
Origin
Designer Toru Iwatani conceived Pac-Man as a non-violent arcade game that would appeal to women and couples, a contrast to the space-shooter genre that dominated 1980 arcades. The maze, ghosts, and power pellets created a distinctive chase mechanic.
Cultural impact
Pac-Man became a global phenomenon, spawning a hit single (“Pac-Man Fever”), a Saturday morning cartoon, and merchandise that earned billions. The yellow protagonist became one of the most recognizable video game characters.
Legacy
The original arcade cabinet sold over 400,000 units worldwide. Pac-Man’s chase-and-avoid loop influenced generations of game design and remains a fixture of gaming culture and competitive high-score chasing.
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Pac-Man starts with P and ends with N. Browse other games along the same letter.
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